Surgeons reaching satisfying outcomes without surgery: nasal dorsum skin cancer recurrence treated with electrochemotherapy

Anticancer Drugs. 2020 Aug;31(7):751-753. doi: 10.1097/CAD.0000000000000946.

Abstract

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck district are generally treated with surgery. Surgery is the standard treatment in early stages and local advanced tumors, followed by adjuvant therapy, radiation or concurrent chemoradiation therapy. Local recurrence treatment depends on previous therapies, though radical surgery is often the first choice at the expense of anatomy preservation. We present the case of a patient with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal dorsum which relapsed after surgery and radiation therapy. The patient refused radical surgery and electrochemotherapy under general anesthesia was administered. After 6 months from treatment, the patient showed a complete clinical response. Electrochemotherapy could be considered as an alternative to surgery in small lesion when other approaches are refused.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bleomycin / administration & dosage
  • Electrochemotherapy / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy*
  • Nose Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Nose Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Nose Neoplasms / surgery
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Skin Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / drug therapy*
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / radiotherapy
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / surgery

Substances

  • Bleomycin